Hidden Gems from the West Virginia State Tournament

Autumn Smith After this event was cancelled just over a year ago, many players have come out to show themselves this year. Many of these teams competing for the state title are known for their standout athletes, but many of their players are off the radar. These off the radar athletes could be known as the hidden gems of these teams and could benefit a collegiate team in the future. <strong>2021 5-9 SG-F [player_tooltip player_id="153346" first="Ravyn" last="Goodson"] – Huntington</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="153346" first="Ravyn" last="Goodson"] stood out with her abilities to score the ball both inside and outside. Her size and skill allowed her to post-up against smaller defenders or step behind the arc and score the three against bigger defenders. Her versatility made her extremely hard to guard and she would be lethal on a pick-and-roll. If she could gain speed to guard defenders at a quicker pace, she could have the skillset to be an asset on a collegiate team. <strong>2024 SG-F Amara Jackson – Huntington</strong> The athletic, lengthy guard was a huge help off the bench for the Highlanders. In the first half of the semi-finals, Jackson had 8 rebounds-5 of them offensive, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and a single steal. If the freshman develops more speed, her size and length could help her to guard anyone on the court and could help her excel at the next level. <strong>2023 F [player_tooltip player_id="153413" first="Jazmyn" last="Wheeler"] – Cabell Midland</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="153413" first="Jazmyn" last="Wheeler"] is built like a forward but can play all five positions on the court. Her ability to rebound against anyone on the inside and her ability to step out and make the three make her a difficult player to guard. Jazmyn came up huge for her team in the semi-finals against a talented opponent with a double-double of 10 rebounds and 11 points. She has a sweet left-handed stroke and with training could develop into an elite player. <strong>2024 PG-SG Finley Lohan – George Washington</strong> Finley Lohan did all of the dirty work for her team. In the semi-final game, she broke an aggressive press, ended the first half with 3 steals, 2 blocks, and one assist, and provided energy for her team. The freshman has great potential and plenty of time to flourish into an outstanding player by her senior year. If she could balance her offensive skills to those of her defense, she could be unstoppable. <strong>2023 PG-SG [player_tooltip player_id="153429" first="Taylor" last="Maddox"] – Nitro</strong> Maddox led her team to the AAA state title after star player, [player_tooltip player_id="153322" first="Baylee" last="Goins"], left with an injury in the first half of the title game. Maddox had a solid performance with leading all scorers with 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 steals. She was able to persevere and make two three pointers to change the momentum of the game and to keep the lead for the Wildcats in the fourth quarter. The sophomore guard’s speed and ability to steal the ball were key components in the victory. If she could improve her ballhandling, she could have the potential to play at the collegiate level.